Weekend Wrap-Up: Sooners send strong statement with Texas sweep

NORMAN — Patty Gasso kept saying it, even through the tough moments of the season.

The Sooners haven't begun to peak. They're not even close to their ceiling.

But the sweep of Texas this past weekend was the moment. They can say it's beginning to happen.

It's almost as if Gasso manifested it.

The Sooners hosted the second-ranked Longhorns and thoroughly outplayed them in every facet of the game, beating them 7-6 in Game 1, 7-2 in Game 2 before surviving a near collapse in a 9-8 win in Game 3.

Of course, the season isn't over yet. But it was a statement: The Sooners are officially here to compete for another championship. And, they now sit atop the national rankings for the first time this season.

"I’m excited about this because we’ve been waiting," Gasso said Sunday.
"I think Alabama was a really tough time for us. Nothing’s working, it just didn’t feel right, but one thing I can guarantee is we’re always going to peak sometime and I think we’re moving in that direction and this is the time you want it.

"You don’t want to do it early in the season and then drag yourself through the rest of the season. We stayed steady, we had a few bumps but now I can feel the escalation of where we’re going right now."

Here's a look at some of the important takeaways from the weekend:

By nearly every statistical measure, the Sooners have been a below-average offense in SEC play. That figured to be tested against a good Texas pitching staff led by ace Teagan Kavan.

Instead, the Sooners put together their best weekend of the season. The Sooners finished with 30 hits through the three games with a batting average of .389. They logged at least 10 hits in all three games.

The biggest part? They got contributions from everyone. Ailana Agbayani led the way with six hits on eight at-bats, including a grand slam in Game 1. Ella Parker blasted two home runs. Gabbie Garcia and Nelly McEnroe-Marinas both hit home runs. Most importantly, the Sooners were getting timely hits and clutch hits with runners in scoring position, or with two outs on the board.

“I feel like we're starting to — We haven’t peaked," Gasso said. "We’re climbing for the right time, I will say. I feel really good about this performance, and the way they're all coming together. They're having fun. They're confident."

It was a particularly big weekend for Agbayani and Parker, who had both had their struggles in conference play. For Agbayani, it was the type of consistent base hits the Sooners have needed all season. For Parker, it was the power hitting that fans have come to expect.

" I was watching some of the game yesterday — (Parker's) swing is just so wonderful to watch," Gasso said. " It's made so almost perfectly, the way she swings the bat. Power and range around the strike zone. But we have a really good eye. Our team walks a lot, and those turn into runs. And when we see Ella, when I see Ella at the plate, I'm like, 'Let's go.' I mean, I always feel that, like she's going to hit something hard. I always, always feel that way.

Before the series, Gasso indicated Sam Landry would pitch all of Game 1 and Game 3 while likely closing Game 2.

Instead, Kierston Deal allowed the Sooners to change their plan.

The junior was stellar as she pitched all seven innings, allowing just four hits against an elite Texas offense. The Longhorns were scoreless through six innings, as they had no answers for Deal's pitching. It was a huge deal for the Sooners, who've been searching all season for a No. 2 pitcher.

Deal has struggled through most of conference play. She threw six total pitches in the previous weekend series against Mississippi State. She threw all of two innings against Alabama. But if Deal can pitch like she did against Texas, the Sooners' ceiling raises dramatically.

"To see KD step up the way she did was so huge for our team, our pitching staff," Gasso said. "It was fun to watch her. It’s hard to get in a zone. And when you see somebody in a zone, it’s kind of awesome to watch. You could see her in that place. That’s the great news. Once you know how to get there, you’ll get back there."

Isabella Smith was stellar in Game 3, retiring all nine batters she faced. That might've been an even bigger development for the Sooners. Smith had looked borderline unplayable through most of conference play, and there were real questions about whether she could play in the postseason.

The Sooners may not find a permanent answer outside of Landry. But Deal and Smith showed they can step up when it matters. That is a huge development for the Sooners.

Up next: The Sooners close the regular season at Florida. The series begins Thursday at 5 p.m. (SECN).

The Sooners (42-5, 16-5 SEC) have a two-game lead for first place in the SEC standings. They would clinch a share of the SEC regular title with one win, and would clinch the conference outright with a series victory.